


never talk to reporters (especially on Christmas)

by youngerdrgrey



Category: Queen Sugar (TV)
Genre: Christmas, Gen, Pre-show
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-21
Updated: 2018-06-21
Packaged: 2019-05-26 15:15:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15003632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youngerdrgrey/pseuds/youngerdrgrey
Summary: pre-show; Charley always spends Christmas in Los Angeles.





	never talk to reporters (especially on Christmas)

**Author's Note:**

> // originally posted on tumblr in Dec 2017, but I never brought it over.

The Christmas before her daddy died, Charley could’ve sworn she saw Ralph Angel in L.A. Brown skin just as dark as his on a frame that’s nothing but muscle and stubbornness. But the man she saw was only a reporter. Still, his eyes had a hunger in them that she’d only seen in Ralph Angel’s. A need to prove himself that seemed ingrained in him.

She faltered in her step outside of the restaurant. The reporter pounced then, swooping closer so he could walk along them on the street. He kept just enough distance that she didn’t grab for Micah who walked on her other side.

“Mrs. West, can I ask you a question? Just one question, please. For Christmas.”

Micah sped up his pace for the door, but Charley hesitated. “Fine. One question.”

The reporter beamed out at her. He said, “I know that you have family down in New Orleans. Will you be going home for Christmas this year?”

Her eyebrows started arching before she could catch them. “I am home.” Home’s where her son is, where Davis is, not just some patch of land that her family’s worked on for decades. Besides, they don’t visit her, so why should she put in the energy to visit them?

“But you—“

One question. She pulled on a smile to dismiss him. “Merry Christmas.” Then she steered Micah the rest of the way into the restaurant.

Once the doors closed, Charley let herself scoff. “Is this not a home?” It was rhetorical, and Micah seemed to get that. “I just—“ Her home cost more than everyone else’s put together. Nova’s entire place could fit inside of one wing of Charley’s, and Charley was supposed to pack up and go there? For bugs and Christmas mass and a bunch of snide remarks from everyone down there? “I’m good.”

Micah scanned the restaurant, but he still took her jacket as she shrugged it off. Still said, “Grandpa’s not gonna like the sound of that.”

“Your grandpa barely reads anything we’re doing,” Charley said.

Micah shook his head. “He gets the highlights, Mom.”

In the back of the restaurant, Lorna stood up, hand curling through the air to draw their attention. Charley beelined over there.

“He’ll understand regardless. That whole area, it’s never really been mine to claim.”

He glanced over at her with his chin up high. “Did you try?”

She used to have the tan lines and bug bites to prove it. Used to tuck herself away at Violet’s so she wouldn’t have to deal with Nova. Used to overcompensate when she went down there, always louder and smarter and more elegant so they’d know she more than belonged.

“Come on. Let’s eat.”

But the brunch didn’t come any easier once they reached her mother. Lorna kissed them both and instantly brought in the judgment.

“I didn’t know to tell them for three, or for four. Davis never RSVP’d.”

Micah took it with a laugh, though. “Dad’s not getting back in until tonight. Last minute shopping.”

Charley’s lips pursed. “He told you that?”

Micah nodded. “Yeah, in the car. He told me not to tell you, so I figure it’s for you.”

A better present would be getting home in time to keep this Christmas Eve brunch light. But Charley could make do, especially since Micah was there. He had a way of disarming Lorna.

Lorna grinned across the table at him. “He is a smooth one.” Her eyes shifted to Charley. “Any big plans for Christmas?”

“We’re staying in, Mother.” Charley forced a smile and settled her napkin in her lap just for something to do. “You know how we like our traditions.”

Lorna sighed at that. “Right, your traditions. I suppose I’ll expect my annual call right after you check in with your father.” She lifted up her menu to shield herself, but her eyes stood out. A little ice frozen over the vulnerability in them. “Did you talk to him yet today?”

Not in so many words. “He says, ‘Merry Christmas.’” He will, at least, for the sake of being polite.

The ice took over the rest of her mother’s eyes. “I’m sure he did. He’s well then?”

He’s raising his grandson while his pride and joy continued to make a mess in prison. There’s no sign of Darla still, and he’s getting too old to run after a five-year-old all day. Let alone run a farm at the same time.

“He’s fine.” Charley hoisted up her own menu. “He wants us to visit this year. See the farm.”

“Of course he does. Well, send him my best.”

Charley nodded. She even lifted her phone to do as much. It buzzed in her hands.

> _To Charley Bordelon // Dec 24, 10:04 am  
> _ **Nova:**  Nice way to tell aunt Vi not to set out a place for you.

Charley rolled her eyes. Of course Nova would ignore the fact that Charley hadn’t been down there for Christmas since Blue was born.

> _To Nova Bordelon // Dec 24, 10:05 am  
> _ **Charley:**  I didn’t know you were following me so closely.
> 
> _To Charley Bordelon // Dec 24, 10:06 am_  
>  **Nova:**  Dude mentioned me in his tweet. Says since family is so important to me, why aren’t I close with mine?  
>  **Nova:**  I should probably thank you for the added traffic.
> 
> _To Nova Bordelon // Dec 24, 10:07 am  
> _ **Charley:**  You’re welcome.  
>  **Charley:**  Oh, and Merry Christmas, sis

She flipped her phone over after that. One glance up showed that both Micah and her mother had watched all the emotions dance across her face. She cleared her throat.

“Nova says, ‘Merry Christmas,’ as well.”

Micah glanced down at his own phone. “That’s kind of early.”

Lorna cut in. “Better early than not at all. Given her track record, I’m surprised she said anything at all.”

“Mother.”

Lorna waved her hands of it. “Now, you know I adore your sister, and your brother, but when have they ever waited for your side before they reacted to something? I just want to know. If Christmas can’t bring you three together, then what will?”

Charley offered a weak, “It’s not that bad,” but she couldn’t exactly back it up with much. One day, they’d get it together. Or, maybe, they just weren’t meant to be that close. “Can we eat, Mom, please?”

.

.

.

**Author's Note:**

> honestly, it’s wild to me how much growth the sisters have had over the course of the show bc they could not talk in the first season w/o fighting. like, at all. Y’all have any headcanons about this family during the holidays?


End file.
